Hugh James PIP breast implant clients await the Government's announcement
Head of Litigation at Hugh
James, Mark Harvey is representing over 600 women with PIP implants
of which over 300 have contacted Hugh James in the last two
weeks.
06 | 01 | 12
Renowned campaigning lawyer Mark
Harvey, Partner and head of the top ranked Personal Injury Team at Hugh James
solicitors, is representing over 600 women with PIP implants of
which over 300 have contacted Hugh James in the last two
weeks.
Women all over the UK affected by
the PIP breast implant recall are awaiting a statement from the
Government, expected this Friday on the PIP breast implant
scandal. The Government is reviewing the risks posed by
faulty silicone breast implants after suggestions that more than
3,000 may be affected by these implants that were recalled in March
2010. Following contradictory data about the rupture rate of these
implants, Andrew Lansley, the Health Secretary, announced last
Saturday that there were fears that existing evidence about
potential dangers was not reliable and announced that the NHS
medical director, Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, would carry out a
review of the situation.
Mark Harvey commented that:
“I hope that the Government
will support women affected by the PIP implant recall, provide
clear guidelines and advice to them and put procedures in place to
support those affected including working with the clinics who
implanted these implants to remove them where the patient requests
it. In situations where the women’s clinics have gone into
administration and no longer exists, then it is with reluctance
that I must also recommend that the NHS must continue to step in
and act as a safety net where necessary. It should not be necessary
to turn to the NHS at all in these circumstances had the Government
and the MHRA not allowed this company to sell these implants in the
UK in the first place and kept a closer review of the cosmetic
surgery industry despite my alerting them in early 2009 about
concerns relating to these implants."
Mark Harvey has welcomed past
releases from the MHRA that there is no evidence that the implants
are linked to cancer however the gel inside these implants was not
meant for use in the body and was made for industrial silicone use.
Mark Harvey has written to Andrew Lansley again this week, as well
as to Mr Fazel Fatah and Mr Tim Goodacre who are also part of the
enquiry to express his views and to inform them of some of the
terrible experiences of his clients. Mr Tim Goodacre has already
expressed his view that due to the degree of uncertainty and lack
of knowledge in relation to this product that all implants should
come out however Mark Harvey fears that the Government will still
refuse to follow this stance.
Mark Harvey supports the comments
made by leading surgeons Nigel Mercer and Fazel Fatah.
The consultant plastic surgeon and
former BAAPS President Nigel Mercer has stated that;
“The reality is that the
industrial-grade silicone gel used in these implants was not meant
for the human body. In some instances women who have no rupture of
the devices will be happy to be monitored regularly, but others may
wish for the PIPs to be removed, regardless of symptoms. The French
Government’s stance is certainly not unreasonable.”
According to consultant plastic
surgeon and BAAPS President Fazel Fatah;
“The main reason for
explantation in France is not any new scientific evidence linking
these implants to cancer – none has been proven despite exhaustive
testing. It is the nature of the irritant gel within them, which
makes removal post-rupture a more complex and extensive surgery.
Therefore some patients will prefer them removed as a preventative
measure and this is an entirely rational approach in view of the
quality issues associated with PIPs.”
The faulty PIP implants are the
subject of a Medical Device Alert (MDA) by the Medicines and
Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), with a recall being
issued on March 31 2010 for all UK implants. The implants were
recalled following concerns relating to an increase in rupture
rates in these implants.
The failure rate for UK patients
has been defined by the MHRA as being 1%, whereas French
authorities have found that the implants have a 5% rupture rate and
a major UK private clinic has reported that the failure rate
amongst its patients is at 7%.
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For information on joining the
group represented by Mark Harvey please contact Hugh James on 02920
224 871 or complete the enquiry
form.